Over 90% of students graduating from Canberra universities are in full-time work within three years of completing their studies.
Both the Australian National University (ANU) and the University of Canberra (UC) report more than 90% of their students follow this trend, in line with the national average reported in the 2020 Graduate Outcomes Survey – Longitudinal.
An ANU spokesperson said these statistics showed how valuable higher education was, especially during a pandemic.
“A university degree is always a great investment, setting graduates up personally and professionally for the rest of their lives,” they said.
“More than 95% of ANU graduates are in full-time work within three years of completing their studies.
“This is not only great news for our students; it’s good for our nation, ensuring Australia has the talented, highly knowledgeable, and exceptionally skilled workforce our economy and society need.”
The longitudinal study surveys students when they graduate and three years later; however, not all students participate in the second round.
The study also shows four out of five undergraduates are working in managerial and professional occupations within three years of completing their study.
UC Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic, Professor Geoff Crisp reported 90% of UC students are in full-time work within three years of graduating, across all disciplines.
“We make quite a bit of effort at UC to facilitate our students’ ability to get a job when they finish with us,” he said.
“We have things like professional practice, work-integrated learning, placements and internships so we have a variety.
“In addition to that, we work closely with industry and professional bodies to maximise the opportunity for our students to get a job at the end.”
Australian graduates showed a median starting salary of $60,000 annually, which rose to $75,000 within three years.
For each extra level of education attained beyond high school, earnings were, on average, higher.
The ANU spokesperson said they were proud of the work being done at the university to produce hard-working graduates.
“Our focus on excellence in research and education ensures our graduates are in demand the world over, well prepared to address complex contemporary challenges,” they said. “And now our graduates will be helping Australia rebuild once this pandemic passes. It’s heartening to know this vital work will be in such safe and capable hands.”
